As a woman of color, I am very familiar with the stigma attached to my hair type and its supposed limitations. It is “unruly” and “difficult to manage.” As a small child, my mother would struggle to straighten it on Saturday mornings. I would scream and cry, disrupting the entire household and upsetting my father, who would angrily predict that the damage being done to my hair was not only physical but emotional as well. It wasn’t the pretty picture on the box of chemical relaxer my mother would purchase from the beauty-supply store; it was an ordeal. The pressure to fit into a European ideal of beauty by straightening my hair is inescapable, and in fashion it’s become the norm. [...][Continue Reading...]

Ananda Marchildon's case against Elite Models has ended in a legal victory. The 25-year-old Dutch model, deemed "too fat" by her agency, was awarded the full €65,000 owed to her after winning the fourth season of Holland's Next Top Model. In an exclusive interview with Nadette de Visser, Marchildon said, "After almost two years of struggling, I was finally proven right. A huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.” [...][Continue Reading...]